Arlene Dayton
Arlene J. Dayton, 70, of Dallas and Minneapolis, Minnesota died from complications of cancer on Friday, May 5, 2017 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
She was a longtime member of the Board of Trustees of the Chinati Foundation in Marfa and served as board president from 2007-2012. Her board service began in 2003.
Arlene was the eldest daughter of Edna and Verdi Johnson of Wheaton, Minnesota. She received both her BA and MA in Political Science from the University of Minnesota.
She was an active and engaged member of the communities in which she lived. She was a past chair of the Dallas Women’s Foundation and a continuing member of its Advisory Council. She was a past Chair and Life Trustee of the Dallas Theater Center.
She served on the National Advisory Council of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and was a member of the Board of The Dallas Opera. Arlene’s service to the cultural arts of Dallas was recognized in 1999 when she was awarded the TACA-Neiman Marcus Silver Cup Award.
Arlene is survived by John, her husband of 48 years; her mother; her sister, Suzanne Edwards; a son, Chadwick (Margaret) of St. Paul; a daughter, Whitney Dayton Brunet (Christian) of Boston; two granddaughters, Eliza and Avery Dayton; and three grandsons, Webster, Benjamin and Wyatt Brunet.
Arlene’s life will be honored with a memorial service for her immediate family in Minneapolis. Her husband and children will host an open reception celebrating her life on Thursday, May 25 at 4pm in the Prothro Lobby of the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to either the Dallas Women’s Foundation (Campbell Centre II, 8150 N Central Expy #110, Dallas, TX 76206) or The Chinati Foundation, PO Box 1135, Marfa, TX 79843).
David Lee Funeral Home of Wayzata, Minnesota, 952-473-5577, www.davidleefuneralhome.com, is in charge of arrangements.